Neil Pereira
"I know I'm awesome. Why bother denying it?" - Neil Pereira (to Annabel Hewer) in the winter of 2022 ("she's lost inside", London) Neil Franklin Pereira is a seventeen year old, half blood wizard who is a seventh year Slytherin at Hogwarts School. He is the youngest son to Jude and Leslie Pereira and is younger brother to Jade Pereira. He is estranged from his parents and lives with his sister and best friend William. Biography Early Life Neil was the second born son in an extremely orthodox Christian family, and his whole life he looked upto his sister. He knew his mother's magic wasn't allowed in the house, something which disheartened him because he loved magic. When he started showing signs of it, however, he was shocked to notice that he was favored more than his sister, even though she showed signs of it too. He hated being placed on a pedestal and spent most of his early years disobeying his parents and spending time with Jade instead. Education at Hogwarts First - Third Year Neil, upon arrival to Hogwarts, felt like he was part of a prison break. He was hell bent on making new friends and finding a new family in his school, hoping he'd be sorted into Hufflepuff along with his sister. But the Hat knew better about the inner workings of his mind and he was placed in Slytherin. He didn't care about the early reputation of the house though and embraced it with open arms, quickly making friends. As a preteen and a teenager, he was the jumpy kid, making joked in class, buttering the teachers with an "innocent" smile and generally being very loud and mischevious. He was always upto something, especially with his best friend, William, whom he considers as a brother. It wasn't until the end of third year that he got sucked into a completely different kind of fun and frolic. Fourth - Sixth Year In his fourth year, Neil started experimenting with drugs and alcohol. It wasn't easy for him, having a terrible home life where he onlt fought with his parents, and the fact that his sister was stuggling with a job was making things worse. So he turned to his new friends, a smoke and bottle and started drowning his worries in them. He'd rarely be sober or free of a hangover, and flirted with anyone who fell into the girl category. He started sleeping around with girls in his fifth year, pretty early given his age, but he didn't care. His grades started to fall, but he didn't pay much attention. He was a naturally smart kid, but let his schoolwork slide and scrape by just to tick his parents off. He became the posterchild for rebellion and never looks back twice. Seventh Year His habits of sex and booze gave him a reality check in the summer before his seventh year, when he Apparated while under the influence and hooked up with a girl, Brianna, who was younger than him and attended Hogwarts. He genuinely liked her, apart from the mad bed skills, but he wasn't looking for much except casual dating. That is, until he realized that not only was he falling for her, but that he'd failed to use precautions and gotten her pregnant. That's pretty much when his whole life spiralled out of control. His barely paid attention to his grades, his friends or his life. Days were passing by him like nothing mattered and the sole thoughts running through his head were the fact that he might become a father, and that he had ruined his entire life with one stupid mistake. Not to mention, he was heartbroken about the fact that his girfriend Brianna was keeping him at arm's length. After the winter holidays, he came back with a resolution to pick up his life, but things didn't want to go his way because Brianna told him she'd aborted the child, and that she needed some space. He's still attempting to come to terms with the roller coaster which his life has become. Physical Appearance Neil is tall, and has a muscular physique which isn't obvious at first glance. He doesn't have bulging muscles, or six pack abs but he's pretty good looking, and not lanky. His skin is a tanned shade, and his eyes are a bright hazel, which usually sparkle with mischief. His hair is dark brown, and falls on his forehead, but in the sunlight it looks like it has red undertones. He has a scar on his knee, and a birthmark in the crease of his elbow which looks like a dark splotch. Personality and Traits Neil has always been a bit of a star, even if he doesn't always like it. At home, he's always been favored more, and he hates the bias, which is why he usually tries to draw negative attention by rebelling and failing in classes just to "amuse" his parents. In school though, he hogs the attention. He isn't concerned about house loyalties, or gender or religion when he makes friends and is warm and friendly towards everyone (unless they insult his friends or loved ones). He loves girls, and partying and having a good time. But, he's also rather protective, loyal, ill tempered and rash. He's always making impulsive decisions and doing crazy things. In his opinion, you have one life which you should live up. Relationships Family Neil has a very fragile relationship with his parents. He hates his father for his orthodox beliefs and he hates his mother for favoring him. But he hates them most for not treating both their children equally. He is constantly shattering their expectations and hopes by living up to the opposite, even if he has the potential to do otherwise. He recently moved out of their house, and didn't really look back on it. His sister, in the other hand, is his confidante and best friend. He constantly feels like he's the elder one by looking after her and reminding her to do things. He loves her and would hurt anyone who dare try and bring her pain. He currently lives with her in their new apartment. William Archer William, or Billy as Neil calls him, is one of Neil's closest friends and the brother he never had. He always sticks up for him, and the both of them are always getting upto crazy things together, practically making their own rules. He would do anything for Will, and he knows he's got Neil's back too. There isn't a thing Neil can't trust Will with and he's constantly thanking his stars for such a great friend. Will moved in with Neil and Jade a few months ago, and frankly, Neil couldn'y be happier. Brianna McLaggen Brianna McLaggen, or Bri as Neil fondly calls her, is a Hufflepuff sixth year who is his girlfriend as well. The two of them met at various parties throughout their teenage years and had a mutual, faint attraction which they didn't really act on. That is, until Neil apparated to France, drunk and ran into her at the beach. The two spent the night together, and most of the next day when Neil asked her out to a friendly, casual date. Over the summer, he wrote to her a lot and he found himself deeply attracted and allured by her. But the day they were to return to Hogwarts she told him she had fallen pregnant after their little tryst and Neil felt like his whole world shattered to pieces. He spent most of his seventh year attempting to understand her, loving her and at the same time trying to work on a future for their child. Towards the beginning of winter, she broke the news to him that she'd gotten rid of the child and he was free to do as he wished. Of course, he is still very much in love with her and is trying to figure out where they stand now that their baby is gone. Adélaïde Lamoureux Adelaide Lamoureux is a class mate he met in France, and whom he instantly hated. She was the opposite of him, and throughout his year at Hogwarts, he's always run into her at inoppurtune moments. It isn't uncommon for them to bicker, for her to reprimand him and him to spoil her a bit. They've fallen into a complicated relationships as frenemies. He usually finds her when he's had a complicated discussion with Brianna, and sometimes he feels like she sees him differently. However, he'd convinced himself that the tension between them is completely due to their old fights and not sexual in nature at all (even if it's not at all true). Slytherin Housemates Neil gets along well with most of his class mates, especially the girls. Most of them are his best friends, especially Alysha, Ria and Bella. They're like his go-to girls whenever he's in a low mood and always cheer them up. They are his best friends, apart from Will, and he is always looking to have a good time with them. He's also very protective of them and is always willing to beat up anybody who hurts them. Fun Facts * He lost his virginity at the age of fifteen to Alysha Zabini (even if he told her she wasn't his first). * He has snuck out of home multiple times. * He really wants a pet rabbit.